Saturday, January 20, 2007

I noticed a week or so ago that some of the precious leaves on the propagated coffee plants were turning yellow around the edges and falling off. I was a bit concerned at first, but then I thought about it a bit. It must take a lot of energy to support leaves of that size, and of course the new plants have very small roots. It must be very hard for those roots to get water and nutrients into the leaves. I also thought that the mature leaves are probably taking away from the new growth. I let it go a few more days. I returned from a trip to see the remaining leaves wilting and dry.

It was time. I carefully cut the mature leaves off, as close to the new sprouting leaves as I could. I had recently removed the small plants from the "greenhouse" I built. I think now that was a bit premature, so back in they are go.The larger transplanted and pruned trees had been worrying me for a while. They show no signs of sprouting any leaves, and I was growing concerned that the major surgery was just too much, and maybe they were dying. I was very happy to see when I picked a touch at the bark with my thumbnail, that a soft and moist layer of green flesh was just below the surface. Seems I should be a bit more patient, and remember that it is winter. Although inside my house the plants are safe, the dry 68 degree air is not conducive of new growth. Yet another reason to put the small plants back in a warm, moist environment.